Aetheral Travel Guide (Vol I - III)

by Barry the Explorer

[Published by IPCS on the 9th of Highsun of the year 631]

[A Pocket Guide version of these series can be found here.]

Chapter 1: Ardea
Most would agree that the heart of Aetheral is the great city of Ardea. A settlement overflowing with people, adventures and stories, the town is a great place to begin our adventure. While, at some point, you’ve probably visited it, you may not have realised that there is more to explore than first meets the eye. So join me in chapter one as I give you a deeper look into the city of Ardea.

The best place to begin our tour is Town Square, the centre of this great city, and a place bustling with people from all around. Here, I recommend stopping off at the Wanderer's Rest for a drink, some food, a relax in the sun at one of the picnic tables, or awash in the baths beneath the building. If you need information, then the square is the perfect place to go.

From the town square, you have a few options on where to visit. To start with, we’ll head south towards the palace, a magnificent stone structure equipped with large windows and plenty of greenery. The building, of course, belongs to the royal family. Currently, our rulers are King Johann 1st and his council. In the same vicinity as the palace is the Church, a holy building belonging to the Church of light. If you’re on bad terms with their religion, I recommend you stay away from there. Finally, you can find the library next to the notice board. While talking to people is nice, if you want to get good, reliable information I can guarantee the library is the place to go. Atop those shelves are books about everything from magic to exploration!

Now we head back to the town square and turn North, towards the Fareman Market. Here, I recommend bringing as little money as possible as, if you take a full pouch of gold, I can guarantee you’ll be left with nothing by the end of your trip.

Where will my money go? I hear you ask. Well, simply put, it’ll go in all the merchant's pockets. Why? Well, let’s just say that place is full of pricey, supposedly useful goods that you think you’ll use but never will.

Going back to the town square once again, we head east to the underbelly of Ardea. While dirty, murky and full of all kinds of unpleasant things, I believe Dusktowne to be one of those places which are worth visiting just because of their character alone. While you’re not going to find any pleasant smells there, you’ll certainly discover all kinds of weird and wonderful items and interesting characters. To add to this, if you like swimming, there is direct access to the sewers here! But wait the sewers? Why would you want to go to the sewers? Well, surprisingly, even the ugliest, smelliest place in Ardea is worth the visit! Full of long-lost items, shady signs and secret rooms, the area you’d expect to be the ugliest and most reeking place in Ardea is pretty interesting! Although, I’d recommend bringing a weapon as the people are a little creepy down there.

Finally, we must turn West at the town square, through some more shops and to the residential area of Ardea. Here, you can always find a home to stay in, as well as visit the renowned Burstow & Co blacksmith! However, beware that it is easy to get lost in this district and can take some time to learn the layout.

Carrying on, in the South of the far West of the city, you can find the Merchant’s guild and the Ardean Barracks. If you ever need a guard, come here, and I’m sure someone will be willing to help! Although, between you and me, if it’s something to do with the sewers, I wouldn’t mention it as just being down there makes you a little suspicious.

Anyway, while I haven’t taught you about every nook and cranny in Ardea, I feel what you now know is enough to get by. So now let’s move outside of the city to the wilder parts!

Chapter 2: The journey to Kaeth Serine
Across the bridge going over Dusketown and east of Ardea is Kaeth Serine. While seemingly easy to get to, to travel there you must first venture the roads a little.

The first place you’ll come across is Amity Hill Farms, a small rural settlement with a modest market where you can buy fresh produce and various other things. Expect to see rolling fields of wheat here, as well as plenty of farm animals. They’re nice enough to look at, but some of them bite, so don’t pet them!

As you enter the farm, you may notice a small path leading North. That takes you to a jousting arena, a great place to spend your free time (and money) whenever an event is taking place.

Just remember, while this place seems nice, most of the fields are private property, and the law doesn’t recommend trespassing on it (even if it’s quicker than using the roads.)

Once you reach the end of the path and cross a little bridge, you’ll arrive at Kaeth Serine, home of the Red Wolves Guild.

While still an up and coming town, Kaeth Serine has a few cool places to visit, such as the guild castle, a huge building with awe-inspiring stonework and a beautiful view across the ocean. To add to this, being right by the sea, you’ll not only be able to smell fish, but also buy them!

Chapter 3: The road to Port Nymris
If you follow the southern road by the river passing through Ardea, you’ll eventually reach Ursula’s Learning Stump, a shop where you can buy all kinds of books! After this, if you continue down the path, you’ll pass another building. From here, I recommend making the trek right up the side of the mountain.

At the top, you’ll come across a stunning garden full to the brim with lilacs, and complete with a strange, blossoming tree. It’s pretty relaxing, and the climb up there helps to strengthen your legs!

Anyway, your next stop will be the town of Port Nymris. Here, you’ll find a very productive shipyard full of people who know their trade. To add to this, you can hop aboard a ship to go to foreign lands (the resource world) and find riches!

Chapter 4: Dungeons
Shrouded in mystery, the dungeons are perhaps some of the most dangerous places in Ardea. Dotted across various regions, these ancient fortresses can offer epic quests as you risk life and limb to claim the treasures within. Yet, where are they? How many are there? And, most importantly, are they even worth doing?

Perhaps the most beginner-friendly quest, the forest dungeon is situated North-East of Ardea, in the woods near the Giant Camp. While I won’t spoil the dungeon, I’d recommend that you don’t do it if you don’t like webs! To add to this, even though I brought food and a weapon, they’re not necessary and, if you’re efficient, you could do the dungeon without both. However, I don’t recommend this, and if you decide to do it, I didn’t tell you to!

Next, we go from the nice breeze of the forest to the sandy hell of the desert. While this dungeon tests your parkour skills on a basic level, the real challenges are the evil beasts within. As you navigate up the stairs towards the treasure chamber, you’re forced to dodge the arrows of skeletal figures and the claws of dying men. Unlike the forest dungeon, I highly recommend you bring a pre-sharpened weapon. This ruin is West of Ardea, on the path down from the Miners Brew.

From here, we enter our first difficult dungeon: the aqua dungeon. Located by a few pleasant, sea-side houses south of the Artificers Guild, this dungeon lies deep under the sea. Prepare to get wet and make sure to hold your breath, for you have to swim to the ruins of a long fallen structure. Once inside, remember to look in the pool surrounding the turtle statue and get ready to dive in. Finally, as a word of warning, and look out for the pufferfish. They’re deadly!

Stepping up the difficulty, the glowing dungeon is not for the faint-hearted. Once inside, there’s no way out but the treasure chamber, and believe me, the journey ahead will be daunting. Choke-full of parkour over, what seems like an endless void, your skills are put to the test. Ironically, the start of the dungeon is the darkest dungeon I’ve been to, and doing those first jumps was extremely difficult! However, the end is worth it. So, if you’re ready to risk it all, have

a go! The dungeon is North West of Ardea near some sort of private keep.

Finally, we take off a few layers as we enter the fire dungeon. Beware, being a dungeon focused around lava and things that will burn you, it’s very hot. During this one, I’d recommend bringing a few pairs of boots, preferably quite durable ones, as well as one or two fire resistance potions and a sword. I found this dungeon the most difficult due to the sheer amount of things that try to kill you including demonic, floating monsters that blast fire from their very mouths. However, this dungeon perhaps offers the most useful treasures, so it’s worth doing if you’re willing to risk your life. It’s located South of the Orcish Tribe on the coast of the volcano.

Chapter 5: The Dwarven Ruins
In the depths of caves once used to hide from a dragon, lies the ruins of an ancient city. Stalactites hang ominously from the ceiling, and pools of lava bubble and burn. Here lies the dwarven ruins; a beautiful, yet oddly frightening place, full of ambiguous buildings and tunnels that seem to tell a story of their own. While not much is known about this forgotten place, the items left behind say enough.

For the best experience, I recommend exploring the ruins yourself. Yet if you want a few places to actively seek out, I’ve got you covered.

The first place is the bridge at the top of the city. Stretching across daunting rocks and streams of lava, the overpass leads to, what I believe to be, a temple with the face of a man on it. Being so mysterious, I’ve tried to enter this building, but sadly to no avail.

The next area I recommend is one of the small buildings you walk past on the way to the bridge. Within one lies an old tobacco shop, complete with purple decor and brewing stands. In some of the barrels, you can even find some old tobacco. Although, I’d recommend you don’t try it as, due to its age, it has gone bad and tastes rank. This place offers an insight into what the world of this fallen city used to be like, making it a worthwhile visit.

Finally, you should visit the prisons. While a little hard to enter, if you can somehow get in, they’re truly extraordinary due to the sheer amount of cells and infrastructure within. Although, don’t go too far down, or you might never come back up!

Chapter 6: Inkwell and Harth
Just outside of Ardea is a small carriage that’ll take you to the free city of New Inkwell. Built in the middle of a chilly forest, the city is built of dark, weather-beaten wood and structured like a mysterious labyrinth. A light coating of snow litters the streets, and, depending on the day, the place can be somewhat active. To add to this, there has never been a better town to buy lumber from for that is why the settlement was founded.

Like Ardea, there are quite a few places to visit in Inkwell, and thus, I will tell you about a few of them. Firstly, the inn sits just below Inkwell Manor, at the end of the main road and near the top of the hill. It’s a cosy place that offers shelter from the bitter cold, while also supplying travellers with Inkwellian drinks. To add to this, if you ever feel lost here, there’s a great map of Inkwell hung on the wall! Finally, don’t talk to Innkeeper Niles about gossip as, apparently, it’s against the house rules.

Next, we head back to the entrance of Inkwell, head a little down the path and take a hard left to arrive at the marketplace. While a ghost town compared to Ardea, this is not a place you want to avoid. Why? Well, not only does it have a few vacant stalls you could use, but it’s also home to Blackpines Brewery! When open, you can treat yourself to some alcoholic beverages, while gorging on a few snacks from the market! Although, make sure not to spend all your money! You’ll be surprised how quickly it disappears.

However, while there is much more of Inkwell to explore, we now leave its rugged streets and head to the frozen city of Harth.

Enveloped in ice and snow, the city is frozen in ruin and time. As you wander its now empty streets, you can’t help but feel a coldness deep within, no matter how many layers you wear. Elements of the past battles and evacuations are scattered across the town, creating an eerie sense of danger, and the lack of sound causes your skin to crawl.

Yet, just because it’s scary, doesn’t mean there’s nowhere to explore, and I’ve got the perfect place for you to visit. Firstly, you must head to the centre of Harth and find a staircase that goes up a vast mountain towards a building with an almost throne-like shoot of ice bursting from its roof. Once there, put on your climbing books for I want you to scale that ice until you reach the highest point. From there, make sure to be careful, and then stand up and look around you...

Chapter 7: Random Structures I found on my travels
On the edge of the forest, by the ocean and West of Port Nymris, is a pleasant rural village that seems to have no name. While the locals are extremely poor, and the housing is as basic as it comes, the settlement is somewhat charming.

Like many towns, the place is home to a tiny patch of farmland growing a whole range of vegetables, including carrots, tomatoes and cabbages! To add to this, if your tools need repairing, the village has a rustic blacksmith fit with an anvil, various furnaces and several other workbenches. However, on a more grim note, at the edge of the village lies a small graveyard giving a little bit of history to the town. While I didn’t spend long here, I found that it was worth the visit.

Continuing down the coast, I came across a strange, circular arrangement of stone pillars surrounding a beautiful stone gazebo. From there, I recommend following a little path that takes you to a small fountain where a strange gem lies. While here, make sure to cover your skin for the area’s extremely overgrown with ferns, wild plants and everything in between. If you choose not to, then don’t say I didn’t warn you!

From that area, you may see some cyan towers breaking out from the ocean. That place, I believe, is a school. However, I did not visit it due to my lack of a boat.

Chapter 8: The Orcish Tribe:
Located in the depths of the jungle, the orcish tribe lies on the Southern end of the continent. When preparing to visit here, make sure to pack plenty of food and water, for the humid weather can tire those who are not used to it. To add to this, do not skimp out on sufficient equipment as the jungle’s not an easy place to traverse.

Once you arrive at the gates to the tribe, you may feel a little intimidated by the two great hounds guarding its people. Yet, don’t worry, for if you can get permission to enter their territory they won’t bite! If you don’t have a permit, good luck!

Once in the tribe, you’ll find a small settlement made up of little huts decorated with various banners and silks. Here is where the orcs live, and located nearby is a little farm where their livestock graze and their crops grow. If you talk to the orcs here, be prepared to see magic you’ve never seen before, and maybe hear the odd thing about some Spirit World. Oh, and they like to mention death for some reason (I’m not sure why though.)

Anyway, from here, you can head down a path out of the jungle and towards the volcano, where you’ll find a strange cavern with two orcs standing guard. While I wasn’t allowed inside, I noticed a peculiar, tower-like structure within.

Chapter 9: Guilds of Aetheral
Like many lands, Aetheral has a few guilds dotted across its landscape. One such guild is the Artificers guild, a group of citizens who focus on advancing science by using “mind over magic and might.” While humble travellers, such as myself, have no idea what they’re on about, all I can tell you is they’re set up in some Keep on the coast. The easiest way to get there is via the cart just outside of Ardea. Yet, enter with caution, for they do some wacky things there!

If you want to join, you should speak to the guild master and pledge yourself to their cause.

Next, we go from a guild of science to one built on a lust for adventure! Of course, I mean the Red Wolves guild, a group of mercenaries who focus on hunting monsters and people while doing a little bit of exploring along the way. You can find them in the town of Kaeth Serine, as well as at a few embassies dotted across the continent.

From here, we go to the Merchants guild, a group situated in Ardea at the edge of the residential area. Unlike the others, this guild is more of an organisation made up of many shops working to help each other profit! If you’re an aspiring merchant, you should definitely sign up! And speaking of buying things, make sure to buy all the books in this collection for an in-depth look at Ardea!

While there are other guilds, a few of which are a bit more sinister, I don’t really want to make criminals out of my readers, and thus, we must move on to a new topic. Yet, if you would like to meet new people and go on great adventures, I recommend joining one of the groups above!

Chapter 10: Inns (And Entertainment establishments) Across Aetheral
A few establishments that Aetheral does not lack are taverns and inns. All across the continent, you’ll find little pit stops to refuel and prepare yourself for your next adventure. After all, if you have the coin, they have the treasure. To add to this, these areas offer entertainment, a place to find quests and hear rumours, as well as a comfortable bed to rest your head.

Throughout my collection of books, I’ve already mentioned the Wanderers Rest in Ardea, as well as the inn in Inkwell. Yet, these are not the only lodges within Aetheral.

Just outside of Areas northern gate stands the Rose and Thistle Entertainment establishment. Decorated in elegant purples and reds, the inn contains a small bar, a stage and a private lounge for particularly important meetings. I’ve personally found this pub to be a very entertaining place to visit although, beware that some of the singing isn’t great!

Next, further up the road leading down Ardea’s northern road is the Blackened Soul Tavern. At the time of writing this, it’s currently closed for renovation. However, before this, I found it to be quite a nice place! Across the road from it is the Illiad-Velvorn Farmstead, a little farm selling lots of fresh produce.

Carrying on our pub crawl, we head South of Ardea and up the mountain path towards the Miners Brew. Looking out over the desert, the tavern sells a variety of drinks and is a great place to gather up your strength for whatever trek you must make next.

Finally, we head to a slightly more divine inn, just outside the Saint Antonius monastery. While I’m not very religious, I find the mumbling monk to be quite a pleasant place where you can rest after exploring the monastery. It boasts food and drink, as well as a few cosy rooms. Anyway, that’s enough inn talk! Let’s move on to talking more about the Aetheral wilderness!

Chapter 11: A few more places to go
At the end of Ardea’s southwest path, turn left and then, after following the road a little, you’ll enter a pleasant farm consisting of roses, carrots and potatoes. Once here, make sure to put on your nice clothes for, through the gate, lies a small town. Within this settlement lies the monastery.

While the town itself is attractive, it’s nothing compared to the contents of the monastery. Home to a few sculptures, the main hall is a magnificent display of craftsmanship. However, don’t expect much chatter, for the inhabitants are a little quiet and even somewhat mysterious. If you go deeper into the monastery, be prepared as, in places, it’s like a labyrinth and, even I got a bit lost!

Next, we head back up the path we travelled down to get here and turn left at the first turning, towards the mountains and the Miners Brew Inn. After this, keep following the path until it splits, and then turn West to carry on down the road until you reach the quarry. Here, you can explore the vast underground caves of Ardea and crawl through dark, claustrophobic tunnels to find gold and riches. It was here that I found the diamond I needed for my ring!

Finally, we leave the dusty rocks of the quarry and head back up the path in the eastern direction until we reach a small sandstone town. This idyllic settlement, complete with vibrant orchards and farms, is the La Roseraie Vineyard and, generally, is quite a nice place to visit. You can have a look at the various farm animals in their pens dotted around the area or explore its cobbled streets and vibrant fields.

Chapter 12: The Abbey Of Silence
Just outside the monastery lies a small orchard in which a dirt path runs. If you follow this path, you’ll notice it suddenly transitions into a treacherous mountain road. Those afraid of heights should turn back now, for the further up you climb the more unstable the path seems to become. For those who choose to stay, make sure to bring an extra coat and lots of snacks for the trek ahead is a hard one!

Once you’re at the top, you may observe the world seems a lot smaller below, which creates a stunning view. However, more importantly, you’ll notice an ominous building sitting atop the mountain coated in a blanket of snow. This is the Abbey of Silence, and it is home to monks who worship the Light. Inside, you’ll find yourself slightly disturbed by the eerie silence, but once you get used to it, you’ll find the place is quite fascinating and offers a lot of insight into religion and spirituality.